Nike threatened to expand outside of Oregon

A lawyer for Nike told Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber the company was looking to expand outside the state unless it promised tax certainty.

The statement was made in an email in early December that was released Wednesday in response to a public records request from The Oregonian (http://bit.ly/VJO32t ).

The governor called lawmakers to Salem for a special session that promised to hold Nike Inc. taxes steady in return for an investment of at least $150 million and 500 jobs. That agreement was signed before the end of the year.

While footwear and clothing are manufactured outside the United States, the Nike headquarters near Beaverton is the site of management, research and marketing operations.